Dust Bunnies
by cherik-mcbender
Summary: When Erik opens the cafe one morning, he finds someone sleeping under one of his tables and isn't quite sure what to do.


**Prompt:** "It's my turn to open up the cafe today and you were sleeping under one of the tables when i came in and i don't know what to say so i'm just sweeping awkwardly around you" AU

Erik grunted as he clambered out of the car, locking it behind him and heading toward the cafe door with his head down, kicking the ground as he went. He hadn't been able to sleep the night before, and if it weren't for his boss making him open every weekday morning and close every weekday night, he was certain he'd be able to sleep more soundly.

He sifted through his keys and slipped one into the door, shimmying it around. Nope, wrong one. He tried the next one, angry at himself - just like he was every morning - that he still hadn't marked them. Frustrated, he flicked his hand at the door, unlocking it with ease. If only he wasn't forced to hide his powers. If only, if only….what good were all these hypotheticals? He pushed the door open, grabbing his apron off the hook and tying it hastily around his waist. He flipped the sign on the door so it read OPEN, snatched the broom propped up beside the door, and began to sweep, taking the chairs down as he did so.

He had gotten through about half of the tables when he stopped short, his broom paused mid-sweep. There was a man curled up under the table, his palm cupping his cheek and body moving rhythmically up and down as he breathed deeply. His brown hair was overgrown and shaggy, spilling out over the tile floor.

Erik tiptoed backward and inspected the man from head to foot. He was fairly certain he had seen him come in the night before. Yes - he remembered now - the man had ordered a peppermint hot chocolate under the name...Charles. Yes, that was it. And there had definitely been some sort of chemistry there - unless Erik had just imagined it.

Erik opened his mouth to wake Charles, but no sound came out. He looked so peaceful, lying there in the shadow of the table, the fuzz of his striped scarf fluttering slightly as puffs of air escaped from between his lips.

So slowly, ever so slowly, Erik resumed his sweeping, giving Charles a wide berth but attempting to remove the dust bunnies forming around him. He didn't expect many customers this early, so he wasn't really worried about anyone coming in - but he kept glancing at the door just in case. As he swept, his mind began to wander, his eyes straying back to the young man instead of the floor. Though he was wearing raggedy clothes and was hidden under soft-looking hair and a coat that was too big for him, Erik could easily see how attractive he was. His eyelashes were so long that they cast a shadow against his cheeks in the rising sun, his cheeks were boyishly round, and his lips were light pink, parted slightly. Erik leaned against the broom, forgetting sweeping entirely as his eyes drank in the sight.

That was - of course - the moment Charles awoke. His eyes snapped open, causing Erik to fall off the broom. He stumbled to catch himself as the broom crashed to the floor. "I'm sorry - I'm so sorry - " he stammered.

Charles pushed himself to a sitting position, rubbing his eyes with one hand. "Were you watching me sleep?"

"Yes - well, no - well - _you were the one sleeping in my cafe!_ You're - you're not allowed to do that."

"Well you could've woken me."

"I didn't want to - you looked so - "

"Yeah, I'm sure you could tell how I looked, seeing as you were _watching me sleep_."

"I'm so sorry - you - you looked - " Erik's shoulders sagged in defeat. "You looked beautiful. I didn't want to disturb you. And I didn't know what to say."

Charles hesitated, biting his lip. "Well, um...thank you, I guess. I'm sorry. That was just...startling. I'll leave now, if you'd like. I don't want to get you in trouble."

He moved to get up, and Erik stuck out his hand. Charles paused for a split second before grabbing it and pulling himself up. "Thanks," he said breathlessly, brushing off his dusty pants. Erik grabbed the broom to clean up after him as Charles turned to go.

Suddenly, Erik dropped the broom and ran to stop Charles. "Wait. Wait, no."

Charles blushed, pink spreading across his cheeks as Erik touched his hand to stop him. "What is it?"

"Will you - um...will you…" Erik looked around desperately. "Oh! Will you - can I take you out to coffee?"

"We're already at a cafe - "

"Oh shush. Can I buy you a coffee? Or - just - a drink? Will you let me do that? And then maybe we could talk? I'm Erik, by the way."

Charles smiled widely and nodded, unwrapping his scarf. "I'd love that."

"What do you want?"

"Could I have a p - "

"A peppermint hot chocolate?"

Charles blushed again.

"One peppermint hot chocolate for Charles, coming right up."


End file.
